1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the automatically sticking labels displaying weights, unit prices, prices and the like onto package trays that are arranged in display cases of supermarkets.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In distribution industries such as supermarkets, as is well known, there are displayed a large number of, a great quantity of, and a wide variety of goods. To eliminate weighing and calculation of prices at each sale at a cashier, labels are in many cases stuck onto them to display weight, unit price, price, valid date, etc.
In recent years, there has been devised and employed a system which automatically weighs and calculates goods such as meat, slices and the like at the time when they are packaged in the trays made of foamed styrol, and sticks labels to display the measured and calculated values.
Usually, the automatic label-sticking device of this type works in synchronism with the line of packages containing goods.
Namely, as schematically shown in FIG. 1, labels 2 of a predetermined size are contiguously stuck with an adhesive onto a long tape-like ground sheet 1 which is wound on a feeding reel 3, the label 2 is peeled by a peeling metal fitting 4, the ground sheet 1 only is wound on a winding reel 5, values such as weights, unit prices, prices, etc. are printed by a printer 6 onto the label 2 in front of the peeling metal fitting 4, the label which is peeled by the peeling metal fitting 4 is adsorbed by an intake/exhaust bracket of the intake/exhaust duct being pulled by the air which is sucked by a sticking device 7, the label stays in this condition until a package tray 8 comes just beneath it, and the label is pushed down by the air blown from the sticking device as designated at 9 and is stuck onto a predetermined position on a sheet of the package tray 8.
According to the conventional sticking device as shown in FIG. 2, the label 2 is peeled from the ground sheet 1 by the peeling metal fitting and is sent forward so that it is adsorbed at the position of the intake/exhaust bracket 10.
Here, however, the ground sheet 1 is wound intermittently in synchronism with the operation for sticking the label 2 onto the package tray 8.
Under the condition in which the label 2 is at rest at the position of the intake/exhaust bracket 10, therefore, winding of the ground sheet 1 is also stopped, and the rear end of the label remains slightly adhered to the ground sheet 1.
The package tray 8 then comes just under the label 2 which is maintained under the condition mentioned above, and the damper is switched so that the exhaust air 9 will act upon the label 2. The label, however, is not often peeled off completely since its rear end remains adhered to the ground paper 1 as mentioned above.
Rather, the whirling moment acts upon the label so that it is stuck again onto the ground sheet; i.e., the label is not often descended and stuck onto the package tray 8.
When the exhaust air pressure is weak, in particular, the probability of failure becomes high.
To cope with this problem, there has been proposed to provide a conveyor to convey the label peeled by the peeling metal fitting 4 to the intake/exhaust bracket.
With the conveyor running under the intake/exhaust bracket, however, the adhesive of the labels is adhered to the conveyor and, further, the mechanism becomes comples.
Moreover, sticking positions undergo variation which deteriorates appearance and adversely affects commercial values.
According to a conventional sticking device 7 as shown in FIG. 3, an air-flow hole 11' of an intake/exhaust bracket 10 has a size that meets the label 2 of a large size.
Therefore, the label 2 is adsorbed by the intake/exhaust bracket 10 and is blown down by the air so as to be stuck to a predetermined position on each package tray 8 as designed, provided the label 2 has a predetermined size.
The label 2 is more rigid than the ground sheet 1. Therefore, the label 2 travels forward straight when it is peeled by the peeling metal fitting 4 from the ground sheet 1 that goes back round the peeling metal fitting 4 describing an acute angle.
In this case, the rear end of the label 2 is still adhering to the ground sheet 1. Depending upon the size, therefore, the front end of the label 2 is located at different positions in the air-flow hole 11 of the intake/exhaust bracket 10.
In the case of a small label 2, therefore, a gap is formed between the front end of the label 2 and the remaining portion of the air-flow hole 11' of the intake/exhaust bracket 10.
When the air is to be blown down, therefore, the air escapes through the gap, whereby the label 2 of a small size descends being deviated sidewardly and is not stuck onto a predetermined position.
Namely, the labels are stuck onto varying positions which deteriorate appearance and hinder commercial values.